Riverdale cops: Trio scammed stores with $1,600 in counterfeit bills

RIVERDALE — Police say they've caught a trio who purchased more than $1,600 worth of goods with counterfeit bills from local businesses.

View full sizeA Riverdale Walmart was one of multiple businesses where a trio allegedly passed off counterfeit money for purchases in June.File photo

Detective Sgt. Christopher Biro had already been conducting an investigation into counterfeit bills being passed at a Target over the last month when he got a report of similar activity at the borough's Walmart on June 18, police said.

In the Target parking lot, he saw a man matching a description provided by Walmart security, so he and Chief Kevin Smith set up surveillance on the man, police said.

They saw the man get into a white Nissan Altima with Connecticut registration — and saw another man get in the vehicle, then a woman exiting the store with merchandise and getting into the vehicle, police said.

Next, the trio went to a Home Depot, where the woman and one of the men went into the store, police said. Biro saw the man pass $400 that appeared to be counterfeit to the cashier, and confirmed the bills were fake — so as the man went back to the vehicle, police took all three people into custody, police said.

Police found the three had passed off $1,500 in counterfeit $100 bills between the Walmart, Target and Home Depot on June 18, police said. A statement by police didn't say specifically how police made that determination.

Michael Castro of Queens, Fernando Casanova of Richmond Hills, N.Y. and Stephanie Torrente of Richmond Hills were each charged with forgery, theft by deception and conspiracy — two counts of each for Casanova, police said.

Police later obtained a search warrant and found multiple receipts and papers of the trio's activities, police said. More than $1,600 worth of goods purchased with counterfeit money was returned to the stores, police said.

Officers also seized $1,049 in cash, police said. A statement by police didn't make it clear whether the cash that was seized was legitimate or counterfeit money.

Castro was taken to the Morris County Correctional Facility in lieu of $25,000 bail. Casanova and Torrente were released with a court date in Morris County Superior Court.

The United States Secret Service assisted with the investigation, police said. Sgt. Greg Bogert and Patrolmen Joe McDermott assisted with the arrest.